I remember sometime in the early 1970's Ali came to Norwich and opened a supermarket. He was mobbed by a crowd that included some women who worked with me at the time and they said he was the best looking bloke they had ever seen. Fantastic sportsman and done lots for humans rights in America.
Has suffered for so long. It has been so sad to see such an athlete, sportsman and an articulate, intelligent man brought to a shadow of himself by illness.
My da, a huge boxing fan, saw both the Cooper fights in 63 & in 66 just a few months before I was born.
Rest in Peace Muhammad...you really did "shook up the world"!
I've just woke up to this news and tears are rolling down my cheeks as I write this.
We all have our heroes and he was my ultimate. The greatest heavyweight of all time without any shadow of a doubt, the Ali just before his ban was arguably the greatest pound for pound of all time - and how can that be said of a heavyweight.
A true giant of the 20th century in and out of the ring.
I won't say RIP - that doesn't seem appropriate for me. He will live forever.
My father saw him fight Henry Cooper at Highbury, and my father my brother and I saw the Thriller in Manilla on a beam back to Lewisham ODEON. RIP to a man who to an extent defined the times he lived in. Absolutely the greatest, debate over. Give thanks for his life.
In these days of the internet and social media it is sometimes difficult to understand just how famous Ali was. I certainly remember the excitement amoungt my old man and his mates whenever they gathered to watch the big fights, be it on beamback in the middle of the night or gathered around a television wherever one could be found. I count myself as lucky to be of a generation that had some taste of it and count the younger generation as poorer for not seeing that greatness nor being able to comprehend it.
Didn't like his treatment of Fraizer in the early days--or the rope a dope fight. How can anyone really take all them hits without damage ? yes I know he won.
Far too young to have ever seen him box but still very sad at his passing. A true icon for the sporting world as a whole not just boxing. He'll be quoted for decades to come and somehow managed to make every photo he was in so damn cool!
I used to watch boxing at the Royal Albert Hall with my Dad back in the early seventies and saw Ali in an exhibition match.It was a short intermission before a title fight but everyone wanted to see him.Feel so lucky to have been there to have seen him in person. I also remember the talk with friends at junior school before he fought Liston in 1965 and on hearing the radio the next day that he had won.Even youngsters like us knew this was something different and he was special. What a man of great integrity,honesty and compassion for others---unless you were within the boundaries set out by three ropes and a canvas floor.Such a struggle to have lived with his illness for so long and yet to still command respect,reverence and full attention.Who else could do that?RIP Ali and thank you.
Comments
He was mobbed by a crowd that included some women who worked with me at the time and they said he was the best looking bloke they had ever seen.
Fantastic sportsman and done lots for humans rights in America.
My da, a huge boxing fan, saw both the Cooper fights in 63 & in 66 just a few months before I was born.
Rest in Peace Muhammad...you really did "shook up the world"!
An icon, maybe THE icon, of the 20th Century.
Hard now to realise how famous he was not just as the heavy weight champion when that really meant something but as a political and social activist.
We all have our heroes and he was my ultimate. The greatest heavyweight of all time without any shadow of a doubt, the Ali just before his ban was arguably the greatest pound for pound of all time - and how can that be said of a heavyweight.
A true giant of the 20th century in and out of the ring.
I won't say RIP - that doesn't seem appropriate for me. He will live forever.
RIP to a man who to an extent defined the times he lived in.
Absolutely the greatest, debate over.
Give thanks for his life.
RIP.
Rest in peace legend.
RIP The Greatest
In these days of the internet and social media it is sometimes difficult to understand just how famous Ali was. I certainly remember the excitement amoungt my old man and his mates whenever they gathered to watch the big fights, be it on beamback in the middle of the night or gathered around a television wherever one could be found. I count myself as lucky to be of a generation that had some taste of it and count the younger generation as poorer for not seeing that greatness nor being able to comprehend it.
Charm, articulate, funny list goes on.
Didn't like his treatment of Fraizer in the early days--or the rope a dope fight. How can anyone really take all them hits without damage ? yes I know he won.
RIP
RIP
RIP the legend.
Loved him as a kid.
RIP
Simply The Greatest
I also remember the talk with friends at junior school before he fought Liston in 1965 and on hearing the radio the next day that he had won.Even youngsters like us knew this was something different and he was special.
What a man of great integrity,honesty and compassion for others---unless you were within the boundaries set out by three ropes and a canvas floor.Such a struggle to have lived with his illness for so long and yet to still command respect,reverence and full attention.Who else could do that?RIP Ali and thank you.